Project
by Lingua Dii
Summary: Kyle likes Kenny, and he doesn't know what to do. Rated T for language and minor suggestive theme. Sorry for the poor summary.
1. School

Long story short, I cut corners with my "project" so I could get back to writing ASAP.  
>Note: This story has some minor suggestive parts. Read at your own riskenjoyment.

* * *

><p>Kyle started liking Kenny in 10th grade. He didn't know how or why, one day it just happened, as if he had never really noticed him before. As was common for a kid his age, and given the nature of his feelings, he hid and tried to ignore them, hoping that they would just go away. Unfortunately, he had failed. At first it was just a minor crush, but for two years now he had been struggling with his ever-increasing feelings. It seemed that every time he was close to letting go of Kenny, he did something so unexpected that it reignited Kyle's love for him, even making it stronger than before. It was hard for Kyle to focus around Kenny. Every time he looked at him all that came to his mind were images of his innermost desires, mixed with every way to say "I love you" that he knew of.<br>Fortunately, today was Friday. All he had to do was go to school for a few hours, spend the recesses avoiding thinking about Kenny and, most importantly, stop staring at him during classes, and glancing at him in the locker room. _Especially_ in the locker room.

"_I just gotta make it one more day and then I'll have the whole weekend all to myself. Just one more day..._"

Ike: Trying to psyche yourself up?

"_Fuck, Ike, don't scare me like that._"

Kyle: Yeah.  
>Ike: If you told him, you wouldn't need to. If you don't tell him, you'll spend the rest of your life wondering how it could have been...<p>

"_Sometimes I regret telling you about this._"

Ever since Ike rescued Kyle from the second homeless invasion of South Park, they started acting like two brothers should all the time. When Ike noticed that something was wrong with Kyle, they had a long talk, and Ike immediately suggested that Kyle should go talk to Kenny. Of course, Kyle rejected that idea, because even if Kenny never told anyone about it, just being around each other would cause feelings of awkwardness. It would be better than feeling stressed every time he was around Kenny, but it would also make both of them uncomfortable. Kyle didn't want Kenny to feel uncomfortable because of him, or worse, that he stopped hanging out with him permanently.

Kyle: I can't just walk up to him and ask him out.  
>Ike: Why not? If he was a girl-<br>Kyle: But he's not. It's different... Look, you don't know him like I do. Kenny's not gay; he doesn't like me... At least not like... _that_.

Ike approached Kyle and gave him a short hug followed by a light pat on the back. He wanted Kyle to know that he was there for him, but in a way that would be more meaningful than just saying it out loud.

Ike: Alright, bro... I just want you to be happy, that's all. I think that if you told him, things would work out. But you're right; I don't know Kenny like you do.

"_Thanks, Ike..._"

Ike: Now let's go downstairs; breakfast is ready.

Kyle liked having someone there to support him, but he also felt useless, since he had been taught that it was his responsibility as the "big brother" to take care of Ike, not the other way around.

* * *

><p>After eating his breakfast, Kyle headed to the usual bus stop. There was nobody around, but a few minutes later, Kenny arrived.<p>

Kyle clenched his fists as hard as he could to try and stop his hands from shaking too much, which didn't go unnoticed by the blond boy. However, he figured Kyle was just cold, given the fact that he didn't have any gloves on.

Kenny: Hey, Kyle. Why aren't you wearing gloves? It's cold.  
>Kyle: Hey. I left them at home. I didn't want to be late, and I didn't think it would be this cold. What about you?<br>Kenny: I kinda messed them up yesterday. I tripped and... Well, let's just say my gloves were more like strips of paper afterwards. I guess that's what I get for buying cheap-ass gloves.

Kyle went silent, as he was too busy looking around to see if anyone else was coming. He would even take Cartman right now over being stuck alone with Kenny, getting more nervous with each passing moment.

By the time the bus finally came, Kyle had almost started bleeding from his right hand from clenching his fists too hard, but now he was starting to relax. When he got on the bus he immediately sat down next to Stan, right behind. Kenny sat down next to Cartman and the bus driver sped away, leaving Kyle even more relaxed.

"_Why the fuck was the bus late? Well, at least when we get to school I can go straight to class._"

* * *

><p>Stan: Hey, dude. Do you have any plans for the weekend?<br>Kyle: Yeah. Staying at home and playing video games.  
>Stan: Come on, Kyle, you've been staying at home every weekend for a month now. Look, Butters, Cartman and I are going to the arcade tomorrow, why don't you come with us?<p>

"_No Kenny?_"

Kyle: ...What about Kenny?

Hearing his name, Kenny turned around and smiled.  
>He was like a little kid sometimes, doing things he shouldn't, like poking his nose into other people's business, and always full of energy. Kyle even loved the fact that he was nosy, but other people, mostly Stan, found it annoying.<p>

Kenny: I have some stuff to do tomorrow, so I can't go with them. But you should. I heard the arcade had a new game where you shoot zombies. It's awesome.  
>Kyle: ...Sure. I'll go with you guys.<br>Stan: Cool. We'll come by to pick you up after lunch.  
>Eric: What? No way am I walking all the way to Kyle's and back. I'm heading straight for the arcade.<p>

"_I'm surprised you're not complaining that I'm going in the first place._"

Stan: ...Well, _I'll_ come by to pick you up after lunch anyway.  
>Kyle: That's alright, Stan. I'll meet you guys there. Don't worry about it.<br>Stan: OK then. Just don't be too late.

"_You could try giving me something more specific than 'after lunch', but whatever; we're already here so I'm not gonna bother you with it._"

* * *

><p>The kids got off the bus and went straight to the classroom, as the bus driver had just barely arrived on time.<br>Kyle sat down behind Kenny and sighed. He had asked (in private) to be moved to another seat, but because he didn't give a good reason (how could he?), the teachers told him he couldn't.

Teacher: So, you're all going to pair up and each group is going to prepare a presentation on a major internal organ during the weekend.

"_I can see where this is going and I don't like it one bit._"

Teacher: Stan, you're with Wendy; Cartman, you're with Token; Butters, you're with Tweek; Kyle, you're with Kenny; Craig, you're with...

"_Of course I am with Kenny. Why the fuck shouldn't I be? It's not like there were literally 13 other people you could've picked to pair me with. It's not like __**every other fucking teacher**__ in this fucking school lets __**us**__ pick our own groups; you just had to make me have to spend the better part of my weekend with the one guy I can't be with, physically and emotionally. I can barely focus on things I like when I'm around him, how the fuck am I supposed to focus on this presentation?_" thought Kyle as the teacher created random groups with the rest of the students.

Teacher: ...with Clyde. Pair up and start working on your presentations.

Kenny hastily turned his chair around and smiled at Kyle. He was excited to work with who was arguably the smartest guy in the class on such an important project.

Kenny: So, what do you wanna talk about? Kidneys? Brain? Heart? Liver?  
>Kyle: ...Pick whichever one you want.<br>Kenny: I'd say the liver is one of the most important ones, but it's kinda hard.  
>Kyle: Yeah, I know. It has over 500 functions.<br>Kenny: You're really smart, you know that?

"_And you're really sweet... and cute... and funny..._"

Kyle's problem wasn't just that he liked Kenny, he also had mixed feelings about it. Sometimes he tried to push Kenny away and other times he tried to get his attention. Did he want to be with Kenny? Or did he just want to get over it? He didn't know, and it made him feel like the biggest idiot on Earth.

Kyle: ...Thanks. We could go for...

Kyle and Kenny agreed on the same subject and, after a few minutes of groups arguing over who picked what first, everyone started working on their respective projects. They weren't used to working without computers and access to the Internet, but that was the point, which made most them annoyed. Kyle was too busy struggling against his desire to kiss Kenny while trying to focus on writing down what he knew about the brain, so he didn't even want to think about this situation. Stan, like Kyle, was also struggling with his desire to kiss Wendy, but unlike him, he could do it at any other moment (and had done it many times before), so it wasn't as distracting as it was to Kyle.

* * *

><p>After what seemed like forever to Kyle, class was finally over. However, it would only provide a moment of relief as now it was time for PE. Regardless of how much Kyle tried, he couldn't keep himself from occasionally glancing at Kenny in the locker room. Thankfully, nobody had ever noticed it, and today was no exception.<p>

* * *

><p>PE came and went and the boys were back in the locker room. Kyle was done putting on his regular clothes and, as he turned around to leave, he noticed Kenny was right behind him, shirtless. The sight and proximity got his heart racing and sent shivers down his spine.<p>

Kenny: Listen, when do you wanna start working on our presentation?  
>Kyle: Uh... I, uh... Maybe we could... go to the library?<p>

"_Come on, Kyle, get a hold of yourself._"

Kenny: I was kinda hoping we could do this at your place. I don't like books that much and the library's computers suck ass, but it's cool if you don't want to.  
>Kyle: ...Yeah, sure. Um... you could... have lunch there... I'm sure my mom wouldn't mind.<br>Kenny: Sounds good. Now if you don't mind, I gotta get dressed.

"_No kidding. If you walked around like that you'd get a cold... and a lot of girls after you._" thought Kyle as he nodded and left the locker room.

When he noticed he had been clenching his fists while talking to Kenny, he opened his hands and looked at his palms. It was clear that his skin had been _very_ close to tearing. He knew the marks on his palms would only go away in a few hours, maybe a day at the most.

"_I really gotta calm myself down._"

* * *

><p>Kyle finished school for the day and went home to eat; he was eager to try out the game at the arcade that Kenny talked about. He ate as quickly as he could, told his mother where he was going and left. He arrived just in time to see Cartman lose, which put a smile on his face.<p>

Kyle: Hey, guys.  
>Stan: Hey.<br>Leopold: Hey, Kyle.  
>Eric: Hey, Jew boy.<p>

"_Great. Here we go again with the 'Jew' thing. Hopefully the new game will be worth it._"

Cartman's racial comment was the only one he made for the rest of the day, though. He had been trying to tone it down a bit, ever since he realized who his friends _really_ were.  
>Nowadays when he made any sort of seemingly offensive comment, he didn't actually mean to offend anyone; he was just messing around with his friends. However, until his friends actually believed this, he needed to stop making offensive comments altogether, but it was hard. He had been saying whatever the hell he wanted to to whomever the hell he wanted to since he was four, and it was hard to change.<p>

* * *

><p>Kenny arrived just a few minutes after the arcade closed. He had been trying to play the new game for a while now, but he was always too busy.<p>

Stan: Dude, you're kinda late.  
>Kenny: I can see that... Did you guys enjoy yourselves at least?<br>Kyle: Yeah. The new game is awesome.

"_I wish you had been here with us._"

* * *

><p>The boys felt sorry for Kenny, especially considering how awesome the new game was, but they couldn't do anything about it, so they all went home. Since Kyle and Kenny lived in the same direction, however, they went together. Kyle was blushing every step of the way; he liked the idea of being walked home by Kenny. He waved Kenny goodbye, which made him notice the fingernail marks on his palms.<p>

Kenny: What's wrong with your hand? Let me see that.

Kenny grabbed Kyle's hand and ran his fingers on the marks on his palms, trying to see how bad it was. Kyle enjoyed the feeling of his soft skin against his own and blushed even more.

Kenny: You seem alright, but you have to be more careful... So, listen, should I like... bring some notepads or something for the weekend?

"_Right... the weekend._" thought Kyle as Kenny released his hand.

Kyle: No, that's alright. I have all that stuff here.  
>Kenny: OK. When should I drop by? I wouldn't want your mom to be pissed off at me for getting here too late.<br>Kyle: If you come here before noon you should be alright.  
>Kenny: Cool. Well, I gotta go now. It's starting to get cold.<br>Kyle: OK.

Kenny and Kyle said goodbye to each other and Kenny watched Kyle go into his house before leaving himself. On the other side of the door, Kyle looked at his hand and smiled. Kenny didn't really mean anything romantic by what he did, but Kyle still enjoyed that he did it. However, once the thought that he could never be with Kenny hit him again, his smile slowly vanished, being replaced with a stern look. Kyle then went into his room, grabbed a biology book and started preparing himself for the presentation.

* * *

><p>Alright, that's chapter one.<br>I'm planning on two (maybe three) chapters right now, but I won't reveal their names, as that would spoil some of them.


	2. Saturday

Second chapter. Its title should tell you everything you need to know.

* * *

><p>Kyle woke up feeling unusually well, mostly due to the dream he had. He could barely remember it, but he knew it involved Kenny, and any dream that had Kenny in it was a good one.<br>He got up slowly from his bed and dragged himself to the bathroom. After that, thanks to, among other things, splashing his face with ice cold water, he was able to walk normally back into his room. He turned on his computer and started writing down possible ways to make the presentation with Kenny.  
>After a while, however, he realized he forgot something important – he hadn't asked his mother if Kenny could have lunch at his house or not.<br>Kyle ran downstairs and found his mother making him breakfast. He approached her, making the same face Cartman made when he asked his mom anything and asked her if Kenny could have lunch at their house. At first it seemed like she was going to say no, but when she looked at him, she smiled and said it was OK.

"_Wow, I can't believe that actually worked. I really gotta pay more attention to what fatass does to get what he wants._"

Kyle was almost back in his room when he heard a knock on the door. He ran back downstairs and saw that it was Kenny.

"_Either I've been sleeping for ten hours or he's early... Yup, he's early. Kinda weird, especially on a weekend._"

Kyle: Hey. You're early.  
>Kenny: And you're still wearing your pajamas.<br>Kyle: ...Yeah, I woke up like twenty minutes ago.  
>Kenny: ...Well, I don't mean to be rude, but it's freezing out here, and I'd very much like to be able to feel my fingers.<br>Kyle: Sorry. Come in. I turned on my computer and wrote down some stuff for you to read. It's just some suggestions for how we could organize our presentation.  
>Kenny: Alright.<p>

Kyle led Kenny into his room, picked up some clothes and went into the bathroom to change into his regular clothes. There was no way he was going to change in front of Kenny, even though he had already seen him naked many times when they were kids. Back then it was different. Nowadays, with his newfound feelings for Kenny, it would just make him very nervous, even more so than talking to him in the locker room yesterday.

* * *

><p>Once Kyle got back into his room he saw that Kenny was already writing down some stuff of his own; more specifically, stuff for their presentation. As soon as he walked into the room Kenny looked at him from head to toe and waved his arm so that Kyle would come closer and see what he had been writing.<p>

Kyle: Wow. When did you learn all of this?  
>Kenny: Hey, I pay attention in class... and to you.<br>Kyle: Well, I'm both flattered and impressed.  
>Kenny: Thanks... How's your hand?<br>Kyle: It's fine now.  
>Kenny: Let me see.<p>

Kyle showed his hand to Kenny, who did the exact same thing he had done yesterday: he ran his fingers on the same place that Kyle had hurt yesterday and made sure it really was fine and, just like yesterday, Kyle smiled and blushed. The boys smiled at each other for almost thirty seconds and got back to work. They decided to make a small slide show so that their work wouldn't be too boring to listen to, but that was the easy part. First they needed to write down the information they had and organize it. That wouldn't take too long but, as sure as the sun rises in the east, the boys would distract each other for hours and wouldn't actually work that much. From pillow fights to random Internet searches for whatever they could think of, Kenny and Kyle were effectively playing around ten minutes for every ten seconds of actual work; not to mention that Kyle's feelings for Kenny and the latter's childish personality didn't help much either.

* * *

><p>Sheila: Boys! Lunch is ready!<p>

"_Oh, fuck!_"

Kyle: Dude, we're _way_ behind on this.  
>Kenny: Relax. You're the smartest guy in our class and we have the whole weekend ahead of us.<br>Kyle: "The whole weekend" is a day and a half and that's if we don't sleep at all.  
>Kenny: <em>Relax.<em> We'll be fine.

"_We'd be going a lot faster if you didn't start a pillow fight or 'Truth or Dare' game every ten minutes... Then again, that's part of why I like you._"

The boys went downstairs to eat and, after they finished, ran back upstairs. However, Ike wanted to talk to Kyle in private.

Ike: So... You didn't tell me _Kenny_ was coming over.  
>Kyle: There was no reason to. Our biology teacher assigned us groups and-<br>Ike: And naturally you didn't think that being in a group with the one guy you've ever liked-  
>Kyle: Shut up! He might hear you.<br>Ike: Relax... The door is closed, unless he's got his ear pressed against it, he can't hear a damn thing. So, when are you gonna tell him?  
>Kyle: I'm not gonna tell him anything because there's nothing to talk about. Now leave me alone, I have work to do.<br>Ike: Whatever you say, bro...

"_Note to self: If Ike wants to talk and Kenny is around, don't._"

* * *

><p>Kyle went back into his room after making sure Ike went away and found Kenny once again typing away on his keyboard.<p>

"_He's really working hard on this._"

Kyle: ...Listen, Kenny, why don't you take a break? You can rest on my bed while I work on this.  
>Kenny: I don't want you to finish all of this by yourself. Besides, I'm fine. I don't need to rest.<br>Kyle: You're the one who's gonna finish by himself if you don't let me help every now and then.  
>Kenny: ...Alright.<p>

Kenny got off the chair and lied down in Kyle's bed while the latter grabbed a book and started reading it, so that later he could write down everything he read, only summarized.

"_Always with the books. I don't understand why your mother gave you a computer in the first place._"

* * *

><p>After ten minutes of watching Kyle go through the book, Kenny fell asleep from boredom. When Kyle noticed it, he giggled.<p>

"_So much for not needing to rest. He looks cute even in his sleep... I wonder why he never takes off his hood though._"

Kenny only took off his hood to change his clothes or to shower. All that was visible of his hair most of the time were just a few golden strands right above his eyes. Kyle thought that just made him cuter, but it was still a bit annoying. He loved Kenny's blond hair and he didn't understand why he hid it from everyone.

* * *

><p>Kyle put down the book five minutes later and started writing on his computer, as he was tired of reading it.<p>

"_I can see why Kenny hates these things. This is fucking boring, not to mention uncomfortable._"

* * *

><p>Kenny woke up when Kyle's mom knocked on his bedroom door to talk to him for a while. He kept his eyes closed, but he was wide awake.<p>

Sheila: Kyle, your father and I are going to leave for while tomorrow. We need to go take care of a mistake your _father_ made, and it's gonna take some time.

"_By the way you said 'father' I assume it was really __**your**__ mistake. That's what happens when you try to get others to do what you want._"

Sheila: We're going to have to leave right away, so you'll have to order something or cook for you and your brother.  
>Kyle: OK. Thanks for warning me. Kenny still needs to come over, though, since we need more time to finish this thing.<br>Sheila: That's alright.

"_I just hope Ike doesn't get any ideas and leaves me alone with Kenny. I don't understand why he doesn't just leave me be._"

Sheila went into Ike's room to tell him about the fact that she was leaving and Kyle went back into his room, where Kenny was still lying on his bed. As soon as Kyle closed the door, Kenny opened his eyes, yawned and got up, groaning.

Kenny: What was that all about?  
>Kyle: My mom and dad are gonna leave tomorrow morning for a few hours. No big deal.<br>Kenny: ...Alright. So, what do you have there so far?  
>Kyle: Well, I started writing about...<p>

As Kyle explained to Kenny what he had written, Ike had already heard everything he needed from his mother and started calling some of his friends to see where he might spend a couple of hours.  
>Although he knew Kyle wouldn't like it, he really did want to help him deal with his feelings for Kenny. He knew that the best way of dealing with anything was to get everything out in the open and talk about it, even if sometimes it didn't seem like a good idea.<p>

* * *

><p>Kenny and Kyle spent most of the rest of the day practicing their presentation with what they had written so far (since they were bored with research) and the rest just slacking off. Every mistake each of them made gave them a chance to act like little kids, and they took advantage of every opportunity. When the sun went down, Kenny told Kyle he had to leave, which made him sad. He was really having a good time with Kenny.<p>

Kyle: Do you really have to go?  
>Kenny: Sorry, dude. My mom wants me home early.<p>

"_When I was 8 she didn't give a shit. Now she wants me home early... Fucking unbelievable._"

Kyle: Well... alright then. Just don't forger that you need to come back tomorrow so we can actually finish this.  
>Kenny: Don't worry, I won't. See ya.<br>Kyle: Bye.

"_Tomorrow we really have to work. My mom will kill me if we don't finish this._"

As soon as he walked out the door, Kyle started missing him: his laugh, his pranks, his warm smile...  
>Every step home for Kenny was a step away from Kyle, and he didn't like that one bit.<p>

"_Dammit. Staying with him all this time just made it worse._"

* * *

><p>After Kenny completely disappeared from sight, Kyle went back into his house and was once again faced with his brother. Ike opened his mouth to tell his brother that he was going to leave him and Kenny alone tomorrow, but Kyle just shook his head from side to side, thinking he wanted to talk about Kenny, and went into his room.<p>

"_Ike really needs to learn when to shut the fuck up. I know he just wants to help, but 'no' means 'no'._"

Ike was confused, but he just shrugged and went back to watching TV.

"_Whatever happens tomorrow is not my fault. I tried to warn him. Besides, it's not like I would've made a difference._"

Kyle stood at his window and looked out into the town. It had been colder than usual lately; it would probably start snowing very soon. He thought about practicing on his own, but it just didn't feel right without Kenny, so instead he tried to play one of his favorite games, but everything in it just reminded him of Kenny. Even the character he was playing as had piercing blue eyes and blond hair, just like Kenny.

"_I really have to review my choice of games._"

Kyle also tried listening to music, but the lyrics of all his favorite songs also reminded him of Kenny.

"..._This is fucking stupid._"

Finally, Kyle decided to just rest for a few hours. Even if he fell asleep and dreamt of Kenny, it would be infinitely better than missing him while awake.

* * *

><p>Kyle fell asleep almost thirty minutes later and had the same dream as last night.<br>He was holding hands with Kenny as the latter walked him home. When they arrived, Kenny followed Kyle up into his bedroom and closed the door. He approached Kyle and caressed his cheek with one hand as he put the other one on his back. He looked into Kyle's dark green eyes, sending shivers down his spine, and leaned in, placing his lips right next to his ear.

Kenny: ...I love you.

"_I love you too, Kenny._"

Kenny then stood up straight and leaned in again, this time aiming for Kyle's lips. But just before they could actually connect...

Sheila: Kyle! Time for dinner!

"_The fuck?_"

Kyle woke up with a headache from his mother's high pitched voice and extremely upset that he couldn't finish that dream.

"_I'm having a good dream and you wake me up for fucking dinner? Fuck you!_"

* * *

><p>Kyle went downstairs anyway, slowly forgetting the dream with every passing moment, until all that was left was Kenny's voice saying "I love you", echoing in his head. He tried to remember the rest of the dream to no avail. It was gone, but the voice in his head never subsided. He felt an incredible desire to hear those words in real life, from Kenny himself, and he was trying to suppress it as much as he could.<p>

* * *

><p>Kyle ate his dinner quickly and changed into his pajamas, trying to go to sleep quickly in the hope that his dream would "resume" itself. However, before he could actually get in his bed, Ike approached him once again.<p>

Ike: Are you going to sleep right now? It's not even ten.  
>Kyle: Yeah, I know.<br>Ike: Is it because you miss Kenny?  
>Kyle: ...Yeah.<br>Ike: You need to-  
>Kyle: I know what you're going to say, but the answer is no. I can't... tell him.<br>Ike: Why not? What are you afraid of?  
>Kyle: ...I don't know.<br>Ike: Well, you should figure it out. Kenny's not...  
>Kyle: ...What?<br>Ike: ...Nothing. Just go to sleep.  
>Kyle: That's the plan.<p>

Kyle lied down on his bed and closed his eyes as his brother closed the bedroom door and went into his own room. He was still pretty annoyed because of his mom, but he knew he would feel better as soon as he went back to sleep. He only went to sleep almost a full hour later, however, as the only thing on his mind was Ike's voice, telling him that he should figure out what he was afraid of.

* * *

><p>Well, I hope you liked that chapter. The third one (yup, there's gonna be a third one) will take a bit longer because of some more stuff I have to do. This one was originally entitled "weekend", but I stretched one single day throughout the whole chapter so I could write a third one.<p> 


	3. Surprise

Final chapter. The title is, among other things, a minor joke for personal entertainment, as I'm sure most of you thought that this chapter would be called "Sunday".

* * *

><p>Kyle woke up in a cold sweat from a string of nightmares he had all throughout the night. He was so focused on trying to find what it was that he was afraid of that his dreams turned into nightmares with everything that could go wrong if he told Kenny how he felt. From simple rejection to being shunned by everyone he knew (including his parents and even his brother) and even people he didn't know, his nightmares had every single negative outcome that could occur if he talked to Kenny. His nightmares were all mixed in his mind; various flashes and sounds were all swarming inside his head, which gave him one hell of a headache.<p>

"_I haven't had nightmares like that since I was ten... I need a shower._"

After Kyle stumbled out of his room and took a quick shower, he changed into his regular clothes and noticed that his brother was nowhere to be seen.

"_...He didn't._"

He called out his name, but all that he heard was the sound of his own voice, echoing throughout the house. He searched the entire house, but the only thing he found was a note his mother had left him, explaining that she had also dropped off Ike at "a friend's house" and that she had made some lunch for him and Kenny, in case he came over like yesterday.

"_Well, this sucks... I guess._"

* * *

><p>Once again, Kyle was having mixed feelings about being around Kenny. Being alone with him gave him the chance to talk to him about his feelings. He really wanted to, but was that such a good idea? If he told him...<br>Kyle tried to ignore his nightmares, but that just made his headache worse, almost making him cry with pain. Just when he was about to start banging his head against the nearest wall, the doorbell rang. Kyle rushed to answer the door and was faced with a snow-covered, shivering Kenny.

Kenny: ...W-Well? Can I come in or d-do you want me to freeze t-to death?  
>Kyle: S-Sorry, come in. I'm just surprised that you came even though it's snowing.<br>Kenny: Yeah, well, I-I wasn't gonna let a-a little snow stop me from...  
>Kyle: From what?<br>Kenny: You know, this project. It's important.

"_Right..._"

Kyle: ...Do you want a blanket or something?  
>Kenny: Sure. Thanks.<p>

Kyle went to get a blanket for Kenny while the latter went into his room. When he got there, he wrapped it around Kenny, hanging on for just a little over a second before letting go.

Kenny: Thanks... It's really cold outside.  
>Kyle: I can see that.<br>Kenny: Where's your brother? He's usually watching TV.  
>Kyle: Ike... He's at a friend's house... We're alone.<p>

"_And judging from the way the snow is coming down, we'll be alone for a long time. Well, better get to work._"

* * *

><p>Kyle hastily made a choice – to leave things as they are. What Kenny didn't know (probably) couldn't hurt either of them. Now he needed to distance himself from Kenny just enough so that his crush would go away on its own, but still remain close enough so that they would still be friends. In the mean time he just needed to focus on the presentation.<br>Kyle was reading one of the many books he had lying around, summarizing the information in his head and dictating it for Kenny to write. Kenny wanted to tell Kyle that he thought that was unfair, since it made Kyle do the hardest part, but once he glanced over at Kyle and saw the stern look on his face, he lowered his head and turned to the computer screen again.  
>For the first time ever, Kenny felt uneasy around Kyle. He thought about making a joke or two to see if Kyle would relax a bit, but when he remembered the look on his face, that thought vanished and he kept on writing everything Kyle said.<p>

"_Either someone died or someone did something to you that you __**really**__ didn't like._"

Kenny: Dude, we've been doing this for over an hour; I'm tired. Can't we take a break?  
>Kyle: ...Sure. We're actually ahead of schedule for the first time in... well, ever, so it's OK.<br>Kenny: I didn't know we _had_ a schedule.  
>Kyle: It's just an expression.<p>

"_I was just joking... Something really bad must've happened to set you off like this._"

* * *

><p>The boys sat there without saying a word to each other, although they were thinking about each other. Kyle was having second thoughts about the way he was enforcing his decision (which eventually lead to him questioning his decision altogether) and Kenny was trying to figure out what had happened to Kyle to put him in such a mood. Was it something he did without knowing? Was it something Ike did? Was it his parents? He wanted to help Kyle more than anything else right now, and the fact that he couldn't make him feel worthless.<p>

Time went by imperceptibly, due to the boys being preoccupied with their thoughts. Kenny, or rather, his stomach, was the first one to notice that they had been doing nothing for quite some time now. He glanced at the digital display on Kyle's computer and saw that it was almost 2 PM.

Kenny: Dude, it's almost 2!  
>Kyle: ...I guess we should eat then. Come on, my mom made something for us yesterday.<p>

"_No comment about the time? Are you bipolar or something?_"

* * *

><p>Kyle led Kenny downstairs and the boys ate together, without saying a word to each other or even looking at each other at the same time. When they finished, without saying anything, Kenny went back upstairs to get back to work. Kyle watched him as he took every step towards his room and, after staring out the window for a few minutes, followed him. When he got there, he found Kenny sitting on his bed, waiting for him.<p>

Kenny: ...Can I talk to you for a second?  
>Kyle: Sure.<p>

Kyle sat down next to Kenny, oblivious as to what the taller boy wanted to talk about.

Kenny: Is everything alright?  
>Kyle: Yeah.<br>Kenny: You've been acting strange all day. First you say we need to hurry with this presentation, then after we spend an hour or so resting you act like it's no big deal...  
>Kyle: Like I said, we were doing alright, so it really is no big deal. However, now we need to go back to work. Come on.<br>Kenny: Wait, just... give me a sec.

* * *

><p>Kenny decided to ask Kyle something he'd been meaning to ask for almost five years now – Whether Kyle liked him or not. After a very, <em>very<em> long time he finally told Kyle that he had had a crush on him for five long years, and that he didn't do anything about it until Kyle showed some indication that he liked him too. The only problem was that he started sending mixed signals; sometimes he was getting just a bit too "friendly" with him, other times he was avoiding him like the plague.  
>Desperate, Kenny went to talk to Ike, who was more than happy to help him out. He told him to "keep pushing" and to never give up, which he did. He'd been doing things that couldn't be interpreted as anything other than clear signs that he had a crush on Kyle, but the latter mistook them for Kenny being Kenny and dismissed them just as quickly.<br>After hearing Kenny's story, the first thing Kyle did was express his disbelief in it. It all sounded too perfect, like a lame romantic movie written by someone who doesn't know the first thing about real life.

Kyle: What about when we were kids and you got high on cat urine _several_ times to see some "Boobland", or whatever?  
>Kenny: Three things – First, we were kids. 8 year old kids become fascinated with anything that's supposed to be for "grown-ups". Second, have you ever been high? It's awesome. I cared as much about the boobs as I do now. And third, even if I was in it for the boobs, why can't I like both?<br>Kyle: What about that blowjob you got from your short-time girlfriend?  
>Kenny: It's a blowjob! It could've been a monkey doing it for all I care.<p>

"_Although the monkey probably wouldn't have killed me. You might not remember it, but I do. How was that even possible?_"

Kyle: ...I'm sorry, I just don't buy it.  
>Kenny: What do I have to do to prove it to you? Two days ago I stood semi-naked in front of you in the locker room and literally held your hand. Yesterday I held your hand a second time. And that's nothing, compared to the other stuff I did. I'm guessing all of that didn't mean anything to you, so do you want a kiss or something? Because I'm OK with that.<p>

"_If it were up to me, we'd be making out right now._"

Kyle: ...You could take me on a date.  
>Kenny: ...A what?<br>Kyle: You heard me. A date.  
>Kenny: You mean like a ...<em>date<em> date?

"_I wasn't aware of another kind of date that would fit this discussion._"

Kyle was starting to lose patience, but he wanted to be sure if Kenny was telling the truth or not. After all, he couldn't take the chance that he was wrong. He decided to make one last effort to explain to Kenny _exactly_ what he meant.

Kyle: ...Yes, a _date_ date. Me, you, dinner, movie.

"_That's about as unimaginative as dates get, but it's something we both enjoy, I guess._"

* * *

><p>Kenny thought about Kyle's proposal for a while. A date wasn't really definitive, at least in Kenny's opinion, but it was a start. The boys were once again quiet. This time, Kenny was still wondering whether he should go on a date with Kyle and if so, where to take him, whereas Kyle was just trying to figure out what Kenny was thinking. A few minutes later, Kyle's phone rang. It was his mother.<p>

Kyle: ...Hang on, I gotta take this. Just think about what I said. _Quietly_. I don't want my mom hearing about this.

"_You want me to take you out on a date, but you don't want your mom to know about it? Unless you also want me to fly you off to another planet, I don't see how that's possible..._"

Kyle: ...OK mom. Thanks for warning me. Listen, my mom, dad and brother are going to be away for a few more hours. My dad doesn't want to drive around with this much snow; he says he can't see clearly. Basically we're going to be alone for the next couple of hours.

"_That doesn't sound bad at all..._"

* * *

><p>The boys spent the following two hours finishing and preparing for their presentation. It would've taken a lot less time, but Kenny started joking about pretty much everything, despite Kyle's initial protests. After a while, however, he also lightened up a bit. Eventually, they finally finished it and had practiced it to the point that they could do it with their eyes closed and standing on their heads.<p>

"_Well, that was incredibly boring. I don't know why Kyle insisted on practicing this so much._"

Kyle: So, have you thought about what I said?

"_I totally forgot about that, but I guess there's really only one answer._"

Kenny: I just have one question – How am I supposed to take you out on a date without your mom finding out?  
>Kyle: ...I dunno.<br>Kenny: ...You _could_ sleep over at my house. Just you and me... And my family, but they won't bother us. It's technically not a date, but it's the best I can do, if you're really so insistent that your mom doesn't find out.

"_I don't see what the big deal is, but I'll do it anyway, for you._"

Kyle: Sure. That works.  
>Kenny: Cool... Do you believe me now?<br>Kyle: ...Maybe a bit.

Kenny approached Kyle, held his hands and smiled.

Kenny: Just a bit?

Kyle smiled back at him, made him sit on his bed and sat on his lap.

"_Yeah, 'just a bit'._"

Kyle approached Kenny's lips, but was interrupted by the sound of the front door being opened. His mom called out to him, and he ran downstairs, which made Kenny sad. He walked around Kyle's room, waiting for him to come back. A few minutes later, he did. He closed the door behind him and wrapped his arms around Kenny.

Kyle: Sorry about that... Now, where was I?

Kenny blushed and locked lips with Kyle for a few seconds. They were once again interrupted, this time by Ike knocking on Kyle's bedroom door.

"_Oh, for fuck's sake._"

* * *

><p>Kyle released Kenny and opened the door. Ike noticed that they were both blushing and embarrassed, so he decided to leave them alone for now. Kenny closed the door again, this time also locking it, and put Kyle in his arms like a baby, which made both of them laugh. Then he carefully put him down on his bed and lied down next to him. They cuddled for a few minutes, just listening to each other's breathing and enjoying being close to each other, until Kenny finally decided to say something.<p>

Kenny: ...I care very much for you, Kyle. I don't know if now you believe me or not, but it's the truth... I love you. I want to be with you forever.

"_I know... I just hope this really lasts forever._"

* * *

><p>Well, that's the end. I have a half-plot in my head right now for the twelfth story. It was supposed to be the end for this one, but it didn't work out. If I can make a full plot out of it, it should be about two chapters long, maybe three.<p> 


End file.
